New businesses focusing on artificial intelligence, machine learning and virtual reality to benefit from the new next-generation startup accelerator

The first five tech startups to win the chance to be part of the Bristol-based Oracle Startup Cloud Accelerator Program have been announced. The businesses, who were chosen from hundreds of applicants, specialise in various high-tech pursuits, ranging from artificial intelligence and machine learning to virtual reality.

“Oracle opens up new opportunities for us”

As well as providing access to Oracle’s cloud technology, the lucky startups will benefit from the mentoring of the Oracle research and development team’s technical and business experts, a co-working space to build their companies in, as well as access to Oracle customers, partners and investors.

Reggie Bradford, Senior Vice President, Startup Ecosystem and Accelerator (pictured right) says “We were thrilled with the initial response from the local startup community – all tremendously tenacious and all addressing big global opportunities. We look forward to working with the five innovative, talented startups in our inaugural class.”

The startups will also be able to take advantage of working in the Bristol tech incubator Engine Shed. Marina Traversari, Bristol Programme Manager of the Oracle Startup Cloud Accelerator tells us: “It is the obvious location to be, and it has the benefit of supporting the local tech cluster. The Engine Shed creates a sustainable eco-system and ensures that this legacy is built upon in a recognised, globally significant tech and creative cluster.”

One of the startups who is joining the programme is Interactive Scientific who offer interactive education tools that allow its users to explore big scientific concepts. Interactive Scientific’s CEO, Becky Sage (pictured left), tells us: “Oracle opens up new opportunities for us. With compute power and accessibility via cloud we are able to scale up this really complex science technology and help solve problems in education and beyond.”

The startups, some of which have already been treated to a visit from CERN, can look forward to more treats being offered up by the startup programme. Marina adds: “They have also been invited to Oracle OpenWorld in San Francisco during the first week of October to experience one of the industry’s largest technology conferences and to have the opportunity to promote their companies in the Innovation Studio there.”

Who are the companies?

The full list of the 5 startups joining the accelerator is shown below:

Duel uses cutting-edge machine learning and machine vision tagging technology to help brands and retailers acquire and convert online, using branded content their customers have made for them. Duel helps turn customers into brand ambassadors, content creators and advocates – and manages, amplifies and moderates it for brands at enterprise scale.

GRAKN.AI is the database for Artificial Intelligence. AI systems process significant amounts of knowledge that is far too complex, so GRAKN.AI enables organisations to effectively manage these complex datasets that serve as a knowledge base for AI applications, uncover knowledge that is too complex for human cognition, and therefore increases the rate of innovation by orders of magnitude.

Interactive Scientific creates immersive digital-science learning and research tools using a range of devices, from immersive virtual reality to applications. The company has created Nano Simbox, a digital and virtual platform that brings to life atoms and molecules, which allows for complex concepts to be more easily visualised for the purposes of education, training and research.

iGeolise has created the TravelTime platform that makes maps and data searchable by travel time, rather than distance. TravelTime has two types of customers: consumer-facing websites that hold location-specific content e.g. jobs, properties, hotels, and companies wanting an analytics tool to determine catchment areas, plan business relocations, retail portfolio planning, proximity marketing, and supply chain logistics.

Trail is a simple, smart checklist for effortless operations. It’s designed to guide teams through their day with repeat processes and automated integrations, delivering business actions from finance to compliance. Helping every site hit the same high standard, and driving profitability with everyday efficiency.